Smart cards, which are of about the same thickness as a credit card and of about the same or smaller width and length, have contact pads on one surface. A smart card reader may include a connector that is mounted on a circuit board and which is used with a smart card guide. The smart cards is guided so its pads engage contacts of the connector. One way to construct a smart card connector is to mold the insulative body of the connector around the contacts. This results in a more complicated molding process, prevents a customer who buys the molded body from inserting his own contacts, and prevents replacement of a damaged contact. Another way is to mold separate top and bottom body halves, place the contacts in one of the body halves, and bond the body halves together. This has the same disadvantages as the earlier mentioned process. A smart card connector which enabled the body to be simply molded in a single piece, which enable the buyer of the body to install his own contacts, and which enabled replacement of a damaged contact, would be of value.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a smart card connector is provided with an insulated body that can be molded in a single piece, with contacts that can be initially installed by a purchaser of the molded body, and which can constructed to enable replacement of a damaged contact. The body has a plurality of contact-holding cavities with open rear ends through which a contact can be inserted. A top crosspiece lies at the top of the open rear end of the cavity. Each contact has upper and lower branches and a linking branch that extends in a largely 180xc2x0 loop and that connects front ends of the upper and lower branches. Each contact can be inserted forwardly through the open rear end of a cavity to the final position of the contact. During insertion, the contacting part of the upper branch is downwardly deflected to pass under the top crosspiece that lies over the rear of the cavity.
Each cavity form has a side that forms a groove with a rearwardly-opening groove end. The lower branch of each contact has a foot that lies primarily in a horizontal plane and that slides horizontally into the groove as the contact is inserted. The contacting part of the upper branch is downwardly deflectable sufficiently that the foot can be slid horizontally into its groove as the contacting part moves under the top crosspiece. The construction allows the use of a one-piece body that is molded separately from the contacts and allows the purchaser of the body to install his own contacts. The body can be constructed so a damaged contact can be replaced, and so it can be replaced while the connector is mounted on a circuit board and all other contacts are soldered to traces on the circuit board.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.